At their March meeting, Huntsville Planning Council was presented with minor amendments to the municipality’s Community Planning Permit. One of those amendments, and the one which solicited the most discussion, involved allowing two accessory units on a serviced lot as a right.
The change would comply with the Province’s More Homes Built Faster Act, or Bill 23, passed in late November, and aimed at creating more housing by encouraging greater density in serviced areas.
“We’ve changed it to allow up to two units on any property where a secondary residential dwelling unit is permitted without requiring one to be in the dwelling and one to be in the accessory [structure]. So you could have what would appear to be like a triplex type of building as a right wherever secondary residential units are permitted,” Richard Clark, Huntsville Manager of Planning, told council.
Councillor Helena Renwick wanted to know if a triplex could be situated on an urban waterfront property and was told by staff that it could.
The discussion continued and involved restrictions regarding where the accessory residential units can be located. The Town of Huntsville allows accessory units to be located in the main dwelling on a property and just one unit in an accessory structure on the property.
“Does that still mean that you can’t have two units in an accessory building? That’s still not allowed?” asked Councillor Jason FitzGerald. Clark confirmed that only one dwelling would be allowed, as a right, in an accessory structure. FitzGerald questioned whether that complies with Bill 23 and Clark said it did.
“So currently, if somebody has a home they can add a dwelling unit to that home, and then they can build a detached single dwelling unit to make three units on their property but right now if somebody came to you and they want to build two units in an accessory building we would say no. Is there any appetite for us to change that, just knowing that we’re trying to get more units into the rental pool as quick as possible,” said Councillor Scott Morrison.
Clark said the intent behind the change is to determine what is allowed “as of right,” which means that provided the required setbacks can be met, property owners with a serviced lot are allowed three dwelling units “as of right” on their property – but only one in an accessory building. Clark said if someone wanted to put two dwelling units in an accessory building, there would be a process to follow in order to get permission.
Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock asked if someone wanted to put two dwelling units in an accessory building, why couldn’t that be an “as of right” as well in the bylaw. “You’re not changing the numbers, just two happen to be in the accessory [building],” she said.
Clark said usually, the main dwelling is the dominant structure on a property “and it’s usually got the parking associated with it, the garage associated with it, and the accessory building is usually a smaller building and neighbours wouldn’t be used to it being used as a duplex, basically. So giving permission as of right for all of those garages to then house two residential dwelling units is a big change,” he said. “What doing it this way requires is that there’s an application process, that the neighbours are notified. We look at the property… and we think about things like potential impacts and how to mitigate them…,” he added.
Alcock pushed a little further and asked what if the municipality developed criteria that the applicant would have to meet in order to allow two dwelling units in an accessory building… “We could be more flexible, but I’m only one [vote],” she added.
Planning Director Kirstin Maxwell told council: “We’re not saying no… it just provides us with a little bit more opportunity to consider the cite specific circumstances… It just gives us that ability to make sure that it’s being done properly in consideration of neighbours.”
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Hello Fellow taxpayers and all those who aspire to become one…
Perhaps the first and foremost question is: What bonus $$ incentives are being used as influencer in those gov. compiling/presenting for decision and those who make it in favour of intensification?
The end result is…another important discussion as to whom controls the agenda?
Happy Passover.
He is Risen.
Blessings to all this and everyday.
Karen
The very last place you want to build in Muskoka is on a serviced lot.
$200 a month or $2,400+/year after $45K to connect is typical for water and sewer services in Muskoka.
Including the costs shown/hidden on our property tax bills.
Highest in Ontario.
Buy and build on a much cheaper, much bigger unserviced lot and avoid the massive District charges.
Cottagers complain about District taxes but most don’t pay the massive charges for water and sewer.
There is no affordable housing in town with charges like that.